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West Bank: Israeli Soldiers Quarrel With Diplomats West Bank: Israeli Soldiers Quarrel With Diplomats
(about 2 hours later)
Israeli soldiers manhandled a European diplomat on Friday and seized a truck full of tents and emergency aid a group of diplomats had been trying to deliver to Palestinians whose homes were demolished this week in Khirbet al-Makhul, a community in the occupied West Bank. Soldiers reportedly threw sound grenades to drive away the diplomats, aid workers and residents, and yanked a French diplomat, Marion Castaing, out of the truck before driving it away. Residents said the Israeli Army demolished the Palestinians’ homes on Monday after Israel’s high court ruled that they did not have proper building permits. The army said Friday that security forces had tried to prevent tents from being erected in the area, in accordance with the ruling. “At the site, Palestinians and the foreign activists violently objected, throwing stones and striking law enforcement officers,” a military spokeswoman said. “Reports that foreign diplomats abused their diplomatic privileges are currently being reviewed.” Diplomats from France, Britain, Spain, Ireland, Australia and the European Union’s political office were at the site. “It’s shocking and outrageous,” said one diplomat. Israeli soldiers manhandled a European diplomat on Friday and seized a truck full of tents and emergency aid a group of diplomats had been trying to deliver to Palestinians whose homes were demolished this week in Khirbet al-Makhul, a community in the occupied West Bank. Soldiers reportedly threw sound grenades to drive away the diplomats, aid workers and residents, and yanked a French diplomat, Marion Castaing, out of the truck before driving it away. Residents said the Israeli Army demolished the homes on Monday after Israel’s high court ruled that they did not have proper building permits. The army said Friday that security forces had tried to prevent tents from being erected, in accordance with the ruling. “At the site, Palestinians and the foreign activists violently objected, throwing stones and striking law enforcement officers,” a military spokeswoman said. “Reports that foreign diplomats abused their diplomatic privileges are currently being reviewed.” Diplomats from France, Britain, Spain, Ireland, Australia and the European Union’s political office were at the site.